The Actor Nakamura Tomijuro I as Taira no Masakado Disguised as Otomo no Kuronushi (?) or Sugawara Micihizane (?) in the Play Shida Yuzuriha Horai Soga (?) or Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami (?), Performed at the Morita Theater (?) in the First or Fifth Month, 1775 (?) c. 1775

Katsukawa Shunko made this woodblock print in 1775, depicting the actor Nakamura Tomijuro I in a Kabuki play. The image presents the actor in costume, likely backstage or in a promotional context, rather than in the midst of performance. Prints like this served a vital function in 18th-century Japanese society. Kabuki theatre was incredibly popular, and these prints allowed fans to connect with their favorite actors and plays outside of the theater itself. The identities of both the character and the play are uncertain. That reflects the complex and allusive nature of Kabuki theatre, which often blended historical events with myth and legend. To fully understand this image, we might consult playbills, diaries of theatergoers, and other visual materials. Such research can reveal the intricate relationship between art, entertainment, and society in Edo-period Japan. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.